Georgia Threatens Closure of State Archives

September 17—The Georgia Secretary of State has announced that the Georgia Archives will be effectively closed to the public beginning on November 1. Read SAA’s letter of protest to the governor. And see the Friends of Georgia Archives & History website and the National Coalition for History’s tips on taking action for more information.

See the links below for more information about this critical situation – and what you can do to help!

Statement of Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp on closure of the Georgia Archives to the public:  http://www.fogah.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/kemp_pressrelease_2012-09-13.pdf

Friends of Georgia Archives & History (FOGAH) website.

National Coalition for History Action Alert, with practical ideas for what you can do to Help Save the Georgia Archives:  http://historycoalition.org/2012/09/17/action-alert-help-save-the-georgia-state-archives/#more-5140.

Georgians Against Closing State Archives Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiansAgainstClosingStateArchives

Change.org petition:  http://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ga-leave-our-state-archives-open-to-the-public?utm_campaign=action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

Society of Georgia Archivists website:  http://soga.org/

Letters of support from various organizations:

American Alliance of Museums: http://www.aam-us.org/docs/advocacy/georgia-archives-letter-to-governor-deal.pdf?sfvrsn=0

American Historical Association: http://blog.historians.org/news/1738/aha-responds-to-georgia-state-archives-closure.  See also:  http://blog.historians.org/news/1735/historians-and-archivists-mobilizing-to-preserve-full-access-to-georgia-state-archives

American Library Association: http://www.ala.org/news/pr?id=11475

Association of Canadian Archivists: http://www.archivists.ca/sites/default/files/Attachments/Advocacy_attachments/georgia_archives.pdf

Association of Centers for the Study of Congress: http://files.archivists.org/advocacy/ACSC-GaArchivesClosure-GovLttr.pdf

Council of State Archivists:  http://www.statearchivists.org/news/2012-09-18-Corridan_to_GA_Gov.pdf

National Coalition for History: http://historycoalition.org/advocacy/live-pages/nch-letter-urging-georgia-governor-to-keep-state-archives-open/

Special Libraries Asssociation http://slablogger.typepad.com/sla_blog/2012/10/sla-opposes-budget-cuts-that-would-close-georgia-archives.html

Georgia Archives website:  http://www.sos.ga.gov/archives/